Among the strangest creatures Haeckel ever drew, the siphonophores are not single animals at all but floating colonies of specialised parts working as one — relatives of the Portuguese man o' war. In this spectacular plate, their chains of bells, floats and trailing filaments stretch and branch across the sheet in delicate pinks, blues and violets, a composition that is as biologically astonishing as it is beautiful.

The illustration belongs to Kunstformen der Natur (Art Forms in Nature), Ernst Haeckel's series of 100 lithographs. A pioneering marine biologist, Haeckel was captivated by these colonial organisms and the questions they raised about what an "individual" even is — and as an artist he turned their bizarre architecture into one of the most ornate and flowing images in the whole portfolio.

On the wall, the siphonophore plate is elegant and unusual. Its vertical, cascading forms suit tall or narrow walls, stairwells and bedrooms, and the soft jewel tones bring a refined, otherworldly calm. For collectors of Haeckel's marine art, it is one of the most rewarding plates to live with, and it anchors a sophisticated jellyfish-and-medusa gallery wall.

Printed on museum-quality matte paper with archival colour and a soft, glare-free finish, in 30×40, 50×70 and 70×100 cm, with or without a frame. Exquisite, otherworldly vintage marine art for the true Haeckel enthusiast.